MOTHERLAND CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

9PM, BBC2 ★★★★ ‘Don’t let me drink too much,’ says Meg (Tanya Moodie, near right) as the friends gather at Amanda’s, which is the kind of line you know will be followed by mayhem – especially at the kind of house where dark drinks are not permitted over the threshold. This is also just one strand in a very, very childunfriendly festive special that includes Kevin developing an obsession with Minecraft and a seasonal miracle for Julia, and tackles the school Christmas play – usually such rich ground – in one scene. With so much going on, it’s a shame this wasn’t a two-parter.